Effect of Sb and P Doping on Dislocations in Silicon

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The dislocation behavior in antimony (Sb) doped and phosphorus (P) doped silicon single crystals is significantly influenced by the type of dopant. The dislocations in Sb doped silicon single crystals are subjected to stronger pinning effects, while the dislocation slip in P-doped silicon single crystals is less inhibited. These differences are of great significance for the application and processing of silicon single crystals, especially in the integrated circuit manufacturing process, which plays a key role in improving the mechanical strength and device performance of silicon wafers.

Fig. 1 Process of dislocation plane slip

 1. Dislocations in Sb Doped Silicon Single Crystals

The dislocation behavior in Sb-doped silicon single crystals is significantly influenced by antimony atoms. The doping of Sb atoms in the silicon lattice can cause lattice distortion, thereby affecting the dynamics of dislocations. At high temperatures, Sb atoms can interact with dislocation cores to form Sb vacancy complexes, which act as pinning centers and can suppress dislocation slip. This pinning effect is effective within a certain temperature range, but at higher temperatures, it weakens due to the increased diffusion rate of Sb atoms.

2. Dislocations in P-Doped Silicon Single Crystals

The dislocation behavior in P doped silicon single crystals is different from that in Sb doped silicon single crystals. The covalent radius of P atoms is smaller than that of Sb atoms, so it introduces less stress in the silicon lattice. This results in a lower binding energy between the complex formed by phosphorus atoms and vacancies, making P atoms a weaker vacancy capture center compared to Sb atoms. Therefore, under the same conditions, the suppression effect on dislocation slip in P doped silicon single crystals is relatively small, and the critical shear stress for dislocation slip is also low.

3. Influence of Dopants on Dislocation Behavior

The type and concentration of dopants have a significant impact on dislocation behavior. In heavily doped silicon single crystals, the slip of dislocations may require a significant incubation period, as dislocations need to overcome pinning forces generated by dopant atoms or impurity complexes. Nitrogen doping exhibits a strong pinning effect on dislocations in Sb heavily doped silicon single crystals, resulting in a longer incubation period and shorter slip distance required for dislocation slip.

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